by Simon Spurrier, Mike Carey, Christos Gage (Writers), Tan Eng Huat, Steve Kurth, Rafa Sandoval, Craig Yeung, Allen Martinez, Jordi Tarragona (Artists), Jose Villarrubia, Rachelle Rosenberg, Ulises Arreola (Colorists)
The Story: It can be hard to make an impression when your very powers prevent you to do so.
The Review: I have to confess this issue confused me when I looked at the cover and the very concept of what it was supposed to be. Here was a book that starred three different characters, each having their own impact, their own cast and their own message, as done by the three writers that defined their very goals and concepts. The problem, though, was the fact that each of the characters that had been the protagonists of this book are now, let us say, in a problematic position of non-existence. With none of these characters actually there to advance the story or celebrate the title, how exactly could this issue manage to get to the point?
Enter Forgetmenot, a mutant with the power of getting no attention and being erased from the memory of those he previously met. Focusing the story on this unknown X-Man, all three writers are able to pinpoint a certain era where they wrote their character, inserting this particular one into the narrative. Essentially telling some important moments through the eyes of a character that no one can remember, does the issue actually manage to celebrate the very legacy that is included in the title?
The answer is not only a resounding yes, but one filled with a certain joy at seeing an experiment succeeding in a way that feels satisfactory. What makes this work very well, though, is the actual character of Forgetmenot. His powers and how he copes with them makes for a powerful message about individuality, but also about advancing through the adversary that is loneliness. His actions, his reactions and his feelings are very human at their core, with a presentation of his struggles that makes him very identifiable for readers. Who hasn’t dealt with being alone, be it with an opinion, an effort or a phase? Well, this character has been so through his entire life, making some of his actions all the more touching, yet also easy to sympathize with.
Going through the Carey era with an Age of X scene and the Gage one with a scene focusing on what happened to Mimic and Weapon Omega after the events of Avengers VS. X-Men, the story both represent their story well, yet not through sacrificing the very core of the issue. Focusing on the point-of-view of Forgetmenot as well as his developing thoughts on his powers and what he tried to do to get rid of it, the story includes the like of Professor X, Rogue, and a variety of other characters. Making their inclusion an essential part of the story and the struggle presented as part of a story the X-Man tells a young girl in denial about her appearance, the actual legacy of what an X-Man and being a hero is all about does resonate through the issue.
A point that is a tad disappointing, though, would be the lack of inclusion from Spurrier’s own addition to the mythos behind this title. While including David Haller would have been a very problematic element, it feels a bit sad not to include this decidedly important era of the title. Still, even though Spurrier makes his voice well-known in the issue, perhaps a certain inclusion of Blindfold or something else would have been appreciated.
Still, even though there are missed opportunities, like most issues, the very message and the progression of events is handled very well. Dividing the book in various scenes with one to tie them all up together, the story flow is quite excellent, with each writers contributing to the ongoing narrative flawlessly. It feels a bit weird to not know who exactly contributed to which scenes, yet the collaboration here is so masterfully executed, it feels more like a strength than a potential weakness.
What’s much more a weakness, though, is the art in general, with three different style presented by three different pencilers along with an army of inkers. What’s problematic here is the fact that the styles don’t really add up, with each approach being different in styles, yet not in ways that actually add to the overall narrative.
Tan Eng Huat, while occasionally brilliant in the Spurrier era, does not show a lot of what made him great here. Being an artist that excels with weirder details and more creative elements, seeing him try to handle a more human and dialogue heavy scene does not work that well. While the gist of the emotions is easy to understand, his faces and bodies aren’t that polished in many instances, leaving a more ugly representation. However, his use of settings, his panel composition and his fluid storytelling does help his scenes tremendously, making them easier to appreciate in their own way.
Steve Kurth, however, does not benefit from such a vision, with a very static approach to characters as well as several problems with poses and anatomy that distracts from the story presented in his part. With a mix between hyperbole and detached, the emotions conveyed through the characters aren’t particularly appealing. While his use of backgrounds and setting is decent for the most part, it’s not enough to make the scenes he works in that nice to look at.
Rafa Sandoval, though, fares a bit better than Kurth, with a much clearer handle on fluid storytelling, tone and expressions. While some of the faces do tend to repeat the same panel of screaming and a certain anger, he is able to present a certain range with his characters. Presenting a credible setting and using it quite well for the most part, he does present a very decent depiction of action and weirdness in his scene that makes it more enjoyable.
Still, there are also a good number of colorists at work here, each working on their own scenes. Villarrubia, working in tandem with Huat, present a more nuanced approach filled with shading and a certain controlled madness that works well with Huat’s style. Allowing Forgetmenot to present a point of focus through his singular use of warm color, the cold colors that compose the scenes and simulate night makes for a tight presentation that enhance the effort of the artist.
Rachelle Rosenberg, all the while, makes for a good use of cold and warm to pinpoint a good contrast, using extreme warmth to portray violence and extreme cold to settle things down. Using this to make a good difference between action and contemplation, the colorist makes the scene with Steve Kurth a bit more bearable than it actually is.
Ulises Arreola, meanwhile, is a decent colorist, yet he doesn’t play very well with the themes and the tone presented more than he plays with the setting all around him. Preferring a certain professionalism over a particular style, he doesn’t really stand out more than he cooperates with Rafa Sandoval. Using brightness, a tad of shading a good number of palettes, he nonetheless do tend to make things work very well and even add some excitation to some scenes, making him a competent, yet not exactly memorable addition to the team in this issue.
The Conclusion: Presenting a powerful tale with a rather touching and truthful message behind it, this celebratory issue would be simply a magnificent example of storytelling if it wasn’t for a good number of inconsistency with the art. It’s really good, but certainly not perfect.
Grade: B
-Hugo Robberts Larivière
Some musing: Am I the only one who now really wants to read a mini-series about Forgetmenot after reading this issue?
Filed under: Marvel Comics, Reviews Tagged: Age of X, Allen Martinez, Christos Gage, Craig Yeung, Forgetmenot, Jordi Tarragona, Jose Villarrubia, Marvel, Mike Carey, Mimic, Mutants, Professor X, Rachelle Rosenberg, Rafa Sandoval, Rogue, Simon Spurrier, Steve Kurth, Tan Eng Huat, Ulises Arreola, Weapon Omega, X-Men, X-Men Legacy #300, X-Men Legacy #300 review, X-Men: Legacy
